And hopedale



' (No Model.) v

C. A. LITTLEFIELD WARP STOP MOTION FOR LOOMS.

No; 600,008. I Patented Mar. 1, 1898.

o Ki x 3 A wk izk/ wg l? M V UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

CHARLES A. LITTLEFIELD, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE DRAPERCOMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, AND HOPEDALE,

MASSACHUSETTS.

WARP STOP-MOTION FOR LOOMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,008, dated March 1,1898.

Application filed October 6,1897.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. LITTLE- FIELD, of Lowell, county ofMiddlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in WarpStop-Motions for Looms, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likeletters and numerals on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to warp-stop-motion mechanism for looms whereinthe stoppage of the loom is efiected automatically upon breakage orundue slackening of one or more warp-threads by or through the movementof stop-motion-actuating detectors.

In this invention a vibrating feeler cooperates-with said detectors, themeans for effecting movement of the feeler operating to move the samethrough different distances on successive strokes to cooperate firstwith one and then another set of detectors, according to the number ofsets thereof.

Several other novel features of my invention will be hereinafterdescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1, in front elevation, represents a sufficient portion of a loomto be understood with my invention embodied therein. Fig. 2 is avertical section on the line 00 m, Fig. 1,

looking toward the left; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail viewon the line 00 :0, Fig. 2, looking down.

The loom-frame A, of suitable shape to provide bearings for theoperative parts, the fast and loose pulleys B B, the belt-shipper S andshipper-lever S, and the holding-plate I N may be and are as usual inlooms, the

lay being omitted for the sake of clearness.

I have herein shown the actuating-detectors also serving as heddles; butthe use of the deteeters independently of the shedding mechanism is, aswill be understood, within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Two heddle-frames .77. is, having flexible overhead connections h areprovided with cross-bars h is, extended through elongated slots in thethin fiat detector-heddles d 01, respectively, which latter have alimited vertical movement relative to the frames, sub- Serial No.654,223. (No model.)

stantially as in United States Patent No.

536,969, dated April 2, 1895.

A cam-shaft C has actuating-cams H K, which operate usual treadles H K,connected with the lower ends of the heddle-frames, to reciprocate thelatter, the warp-threads passing through eyes in the detectors.

A rock-shaft a, mounted in suitable bearings in the loom sides, has fastthereon arms a a the latter being provided with a roller or other stud awhich is held against the periphery of a feeler-actuating cam F on theyshaft C. This cam has, as shown in Fig. 2, two opposite and like highportions 3 4 and intermediate unequal rentrant or low portions, thelatter being crossed by adjustable segments 6 7, said segments beinglocated at different distances from the center of the cam and held inadjusted position by suitable bolts 5. Obviously upon rotation of thecam in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, the shaft 0, will be rockedto swing the arm a outward twice at each rotation and an equal distanceeach time by the high parts 3 4 acting on the arm a As the low portionsare of unequal depth, however, the inward stroke of arm a will be lesswhen the part 7 is operating than when the part 6 engages the roll asuch differences in stroke being utilized in the vibration of thefeeler, as will be described.

I While only one arm a is shown, it is to be understood that there aretwo such arms, one

near each side of the loom, each being jointed to a link a, the rear endof each link being in turn jointed to an adjustable two-part arm a afulcrumed on the loom side at CU. (See Fig. 2.) A collar 1) is adjustably secured to each link, and on these collars the feeler f ispivoted by ears I), the feeler being shown as a fiat plate extendedacross the width of the sets of detectors and vibratable below thenormal paths of movement of the latter. As the feeler has first a shortand then a long stroke inward it is adapted on the former to cooperatewith a dropped detector of the front set and on the next stroke with oneof the rear set, engagement by a detector causing the feeler to tip orrock on the collarb, it be ing understood that the latter is vibrated bymovement of the links a One of the ears I) is extended downwardly, as at11 (see Fig. 2,) to form a controller for a hunter d, mounted on a shortshaft (2, pivoted in the adjacent arm a, said shaft having arearwardly-extended arm d concaved at d to normally receive the device11 and having a notch d in its end. The controller Z) normally rests inthe concavity (1 as shown in Fig. 2, a spring .9 holding the hunter-arm(Z in the position shown, and as the bunter and feeler move with the arma the outer end of the bunter will normally pass to one side of thepreferably-notched end e of the knock-off arm c, shown as pivoted at ein a suitable bracket on the loom side. The other end of the knock-offlever is adapted to engage the shipper-lever S and to release the samefrom the notch in the holding-plate N when the hunter engages theknock-off arm.

Supposing that one of the detectors moves into abnormal position, due tobreakage '01 undue slackening of its warp, the lower end of suchdetector will then be in the path of the advancing feeler, and when thelatter is engaged by the detector it will be tipped or rocked rearwardlyon the pivots of the ears I), and such movement will swing thecontroller b inwardly, depressing the arm d until said controller entersthe notch d and retains the hunter d in position to engage and actuatethe knock-off lever 011 the next forward movement of the arm a.

It will be understood that the cooperation of the feeler with a detectortakes place on the inward stroke of the feeler, while the movement ofthe hunter to operate the knockoff arm takes place during the outwardstroke at the time when the rocker-arm a is operated upon by the cam Fin passing from a low to a high portion thereof. After the detent haseffected the movement of the knock-off lever, as described, it isdesirable to automatically return the parts to normal position, and thisis herein effected by means of astop d shown as an arm extended into thepath of the feeler to engage the latter at about the completion of itsoutward stroke when said feeler has been turned into abnormal positionby engagement with a detector.

The stop engages the feeler just before the stroke is completed andturns it upon the pivots of the ears I) to withdraw the controller dfrom the notch (Z and into the recess or concavity (P, so that at thenext movement of the parts when the loom is started up they will havebeen returned to normal position without intervention of the attendant.

I have shown herein two sets of actuating detectors located in verticalplanes one be hind the other, the feeler taking a long stroke and ashort stroke alternately to alternately cooperate with the front andback sets of detectors but it is obvious that I may use three or moresets of detectors and impart to the feeler corresponding strokes, thefeeler-actuating cam being changed accordinglythat is to say, for threesets of detectors the cam would have three high and three low portionsinstead of two, as herein shown.

By means of the adjustable members of the cam the stroke of the feelercan be accurately adjusted when setting up the loom, each stroke havingits own independent adjustment.

The two-part arm a a is adj ustably held by a slot-and-pin connection(625, so that the arm may be varied in length to raise or lower the pathof movement of the feeler, and thus adjust the latter to detectors ofdifferent lengths.

The frames 7L and 7a are shown as provided near their lower ends withtransversely-extended bars 7L20 respectively adapted to take up the backthrust of a detector when engaged by the feeler, and, as shown in Fig.3, the said bars may be milled or serrated to more efficiently engagethe longitudinal edge of a detectorand prevent twisting of the same.

My invention is not restricted to the precise construction andarrangement of parts herein shown, as the same may be varied orrearranged Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I-Iaving fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a warp stop-motion for looms, a plurality of sets of reciprocatingstop-motionactuating detectors normally controlled by the warp-threads,a cooperating feeler,means to move it through different distances onsuccessive strokes, and stopping mechanism operative upon stoppage ofthe feeler by engagement with a detector in abnormal position,substantially as described.

2. In a warp stop-motion for looms,two sets of reciprocatingstop-motion-actuating detectors normally controlled by the warpthreads,a common feeler vibratable below said detectors,means to give saidfeeler along and a short stroke alternately, to cooperate with anabnormally-positioned detector of the rear or front sets of detectorsrespectively, and stopping mechanism operative upon stoppage of thefeeler by engagement with a detector, substantially as described.

3. In a warp stop-motion for looms, a plurality of sets ofstop-motion-actuating detectors normally controlled by the warp-threads,means to reciprocate them in different vertical planes, a feeler toengage a detector in abnormal position and be stopped thereby, means tonormally vibrate the feeler across the paths of successive sets ofdetectors on successive strokes, a shipper-lever, means operative uponstoppage of the feeler to release said lever, and means to automaticallyreset said means after stoppage of the feeler, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a warp stop-motion for looms, a plurality of sets of reciprocatingstop-motion-aetuating detectors normally controlled by the IIOWarp-threads, a cooperating feeler, means to move it through differentdistances on successive strokes, stopping mechanism for the loom,operative upon stoppage of the feeler by engagement with a detector inabnormal position and means to adjust the length of stroke of thefeeler,snbstantially as described.

5. In a warp stop-motion for looms, a plurality of sets of reciprocatingstop-motion-acwarp-threads, a cooperating feeler, a vibrating supportupon which it is adapted to rock when engaged by a detector, 'a bunter,a controller therefor carried by the feeler and operative upon rockingof the latter, means to vibrate the feeler-support,and stoppingmechanism for the loom, actuated by the bunter when moved by the saidcontroller into operative position, substantially as described.

7 In a warp stop-motion for looms, a plurality of sets of reciprocatingstop-motion-actuating detectors normally controlled by the warp-threads,a cooperating feeler, a support on which the feeler is pivotallymounted, means to vibrate said support toward and from the detectors, aspring-controlled bunter, a controller therefor carried by the feeler,movement of thelatter on its support by engagement with a droppeddetector moving said bunter into operative position, a shipper-lever,and a knock-0E arm therefor actuated by the bunter, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

I CHARLES A. LITTLEFIELD.

Vitnesses:

JOHN C. EDWARDS, A. C. HARMON.

